Reflector and holding means therefor



June 16, 1942. F L 2,286,934

REFLECTOR AND HOLDING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Jan. 26, 1940 Patented June 16, 1942 f REFLECTOR AND HOLDING MEANS THEREFOR,

Frank Sale, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 26, 1940, Serial No. 315,697

1 Claim. (Cl. 240 -41) This invention relates to reflectors primarily of the type used in flood lighting large areas.

At present a very common type of flood light consists of a metallic shell of such shape as to function as a combination reflector and shade in which an incandescent lamp socket is embodied, the interior surface of such shell being treated so as to form a reflecting surface. As these units are intended to be sold at a comparatively low cost, the interior of the shell is left exposed to the atmosphere and soon loses its efliciency as a reflector due to oxidation and tarnishing of the reflecting surface. When this happens, the entire lamp structure must be removed for refinishing of the reflecting surface.

It is proposed to provide a reflector and mounting means therefor to be utilized in conjunction with lighting units of the nature referred to, which are readily removable for refinishing and replacement. It is further proposed to provide means whereby the spread of light emitted by the illuminating device can be controlled to some extent both by movement of the reflector and utilization of reflectors of different sizes and shapes.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a removable and replaceable reflector for flood light units and the like.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for mounting a removable reflector which does not entail alteration of the existing reflector shell.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means whereby reflectors of diiferent shapes and sizes may be alternatively utilized in the same flood light shell.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the effective focal point of the reflector may be moved with respect to the light source.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for more efficient control of the distribution of light over the area illuminated.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a consideration of a number of embodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown two forms in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of. the invention is best defined by the appended claim.

Referring to the drawing: v

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the invention applied to a well known form of flood light.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken along line 22 of the parts of Figure 1 within the shell.

Figure3 is a transverse section taken along line 3-3 of the parts of Figure 1 within said shell; and,

Figure 4 is a modified form of reflector and mounting means therefor.

Referring to Figure 1, a shell It is shown provided with a socket II at its reduced end and having its interior surface l2 treated to act as a reflecting surface. This structure is normally intended to have an incandescent lamp inserted in the socket H, the shell Ill acting as a reflector to control the distribution of light from the lamp. The present invention contemplates the use of a socket extension l3 inserted in the socket l l and receiving a lamp !4. On the body of the socket extension I3 is slidably mounted a clamp l5 adapted to be tightened on the body of the extension by means of the bolt and nut assembly I6 secured to ears ii and It on the ends of the clamp 15. Spaced about the periphery of the clamp I5 are a number of outstruck portions IQ for the reception of rods or wires 20. The outstruck portions 19 are further provided with set screws 2! threaded therethrough and engaging the rods or wires 20 for securing them against movement.

The rods or wires 28] extend in an outward direction from the clamp I5 towards the mouth of the shell Ill, and are bent to cooperatively provide a seat for the reflector 22. This reflector 22 is provided with an aperture 22a for the passage of the neck of the lamp l4 and has its interior surface treated to enhance its reflecting ability. The outer ends of the rods 20 are provided with inwardly directed portions 23 for engaging the rim of the reflector 22 to hold it in the seat formed by the rods 20. One of the rods 20 may be provided with a portion 24 to form gripping means. The outer portions of the rods are resilient to enable the reflector element to be inserted and removed by springing the portion 23 of one of the rods over the rim of the reflector 22.

Surrounding the rods 20 intermediate their opposite end portions is a ring 25. In the present form, said ring is in the form of a circular clamp 25 provided with ears 26 mounting a nut and bolt assembly 26a similar to those on the clamp l5. This clamp 25 can be slid toward and away from the clamp 5 to provide for change in tension in the ends of rods 29 to enable difierent sized reflectors to be used with the same rod assembly. However, under certain conditions, it might be desired to secure the ring to the rods 20 as by spot welding or the like.

It will be noted that with any given reflector the rods 20 may be axially adjusted with respect to the clamp l5 and the clamp l5 may be adjusted as a whole. Thus, the position of the reflector 22 with respect to the lamp filament may be changed as occasion demands in order to alter the distribution of illumination from the unit. Further, with the same rod assembly reflectors of different sizes and shapes may be used by adjusting the position of the rods and the clamp 25.

In the event that it is desired to utilize a reflector of considerable difference in configuration from that shown in Figure 1,"the rods 29 may be removed and rods of different shape substituted. An example of this is shown in Figure 4, which shows a reflector 22b characterized by having the opening 220 for the neck of the-lamp unsymmetrically disposed with respect to the reflector axis. This type reflector can be used to deflect light in a direction other than axially of the lamp. In utilizing this type of reflector all that is necessary is that properly shaped rods be inserted in the upstruck portions of clamp l5. Otherwise, the construction is the same as in Figure 1.

Thus, it is seen that means is provided for mounting reflectors which permits easy removability and replaceability of reflectors and in which the reflectors can be adjusted with respect to the lamp filament and in which considerable latitude is allowed in the choice of reflector sizes and shapes.

I claim:

A reflector unit including a plurality of spring elements having portions extending in substantial "parallelism, clamp means releasably and adjustably securing one end of each of said parallel portions of said spring elements to a lamp socket, a

reflector, means on the other end of each of the 

